Craig Stevens Scouting Report

Craig Stevens, TE, California

Stevens is a smooth athlete and seems to be very fluid at the tight end position. He lacks ideal top-end speed for a receiving tight end, but shows good burst off the line of scrimmage and gets into his routes quickly. He is a very crisp route-runner and endless worker. Stevens has good hands and is a natural receiver, but occasionally he lets the ball get into his pads and drops some balls. He is a good red zone target and does a good job of catching and securing the ball in traffic. Projects as a TE/H-Back type NFL prospect. Stevens is a good in-line blocker and uses good hand-placement to his advantage in both the running and passing game. He lacks the speed to stretch the field against the speed of the NFL. He will likely contribute immediately on special teams in the NFL. Stevens compares well to Texans tight end Owen Daniels. Stevens had a great combine and was touted as the most complete tight end by NFL network draft analyst Mike Mayock. HE showed good speed running a 4.62 forty yard dash and 27 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press. He is not the receiver that many of the tight ends in this year's draft are, but he is the best blocker and a very consistent receiver. Stevens continued to improve his stock with a strong performance at California's pro day with a 32-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot, 6-inch long jump. He also looked very natural catching the ball in position drills. Stevens will contribute immediately on special teams. He will likely be a third round pick.